themselves

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ðəmˈselvz/^[1]

Etymology

It is an alteration of Middle English tham-self, theim-self, an emphatic and reciprocal plural pronoun of the 14th century,^[2][3] from them and self, with the plural ending -s.^[2][3][4] The SOED explains that self was originally an inflected adjective, later understood as a noun meaning “person” and so given a plural.^[4][2] It replaced Old English heom selfum.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

As an emphatic pronoun, these very persons, from the 14th century in the OED,^[5] or the 13th century in Merriam-Webster.^[6][3] The form themselves appears in northern dialect in the mid-15th century and is standard from the 1540s.^[2]

Semantic evolution

The objective use, as the object of a verb or preposition, is from the 14th century,^[5] and its use in agreement with a singular word denoting a person, such as everyone, is recorded from 1464.^[5] To be themselves, “to be in their normal condition”, is from 1698.^[5] Etymonline notes that the singular themself returned in the late 20th century, when some writers began to use it in place of himself after everyone or anyone.^[2] The SOED records themself as the earlier and now rare form.^[4] Scots and Irish English have forms such as themsel and thimselves.^[7]

Timeline

• 14th century – tham-self, theim-self.^[2][5]
• 1464 – with a singular antecedent.^[5]
• mid-15th century – themselves in northern dialect.^[2]
• 1540s – themselves standard.^[2]
• 1698 – to be themselves.^[5]
• late 20th century – themself revived.^[2]

Modern meaning

Pronoun

1. Used reflexively as the object of a verb or preposition: they hurt themselves.
2. Used for emphasis: they themselves did it.
3. Their normal or healthy condition: not themselves today.

Related words

• them
• self
• themself
• they
• their

References

1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
3. ^ a b c Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
4. ^ a b c Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
5. ^ a b c d e f g Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
7. ^ Wright, Joseph, ed. (1898–1905), The English Dialect Dictionary, 6 vols., Oxford: Henry Frowde; via EDD Online 4.0, University of Innsbruck (CC BY 4.0)